Batting

Fairfield, Conn. (March 26, 2013)--Annie Dreher (Saugus, Calif.) blasted three homers, one in first game and two in the second, in Tuesday's doubleheader against Dartmouth as the Sacred Heart Softball team notched two wins over the Big Green at Pioneer Park. Sophomore Kacie Wentworth (Canton, N.Y.) came up big in the bottom of the eighth inning of the second game, sending a double to centerfield for the walk-off 7-6 win.

Nicole Sidor (West Vancouver, BC) got the win in the first game as three-run homeruns from Dreher and Justine Sibthorp (Santa Clarita, Calif.) lifted the Pioneers over Dartmouth 6-3.

The Big Green knocked back-to-back doubles to put the first run on the board. An inning later Kara Curosh sent a ball over the left field fence to give Dartmouth a 2-0 lead.

Down by 2, Annie Dreher launched a rocket to left field for a three run home run to give the Pioneers the lead.

In the fifth inning, Jenn Robillard (Plainville, Mass.) and Sidor singled before Sibthorp blasted another three-run shot down the left field line wrapping around the foul pole lifting the Pioneers to a 6-2 lead.

Dartmouth got one more run off Sidor in the top of the sixth, but it was not enough as SHU picked up the win.

Dartmouth was first on the board in the second game as well. Curosh crossed the plate for Dartmouth after advancing to third on a wild pitch and being knocked in by Katie McEachern's double. McEachern also scored in the inning, giving the Big Green a 2-0 advantage in the top of the third.

Dreher delivered her second homer of the game, a solo shot, in the bottom of the fourth to put Sacred Heart on the board.

Taylor Lane (Lisbon, Conn.) came in in the top of the sixth in relief of Mallory with no outs and runners on the corners to get the next three batters out, and the Pioneers out of the innings without a run.

The Pioneers tied the game at two in the bottom of the sixth. With bases loaded and one out, Nicki Surkes popped out to first base after a tough at-bat, and a base-running error ended the Pioneers hot streak.

The score remained tied at the end of seven, sending the game into extra innings. With international tie-breaker rules coming into effect, Dartmouth placed Brianna Lohmann on second base who scored in top of the eight with McEachern's lead-off double. That was just the beginning of the trouble for Lane, who gave up two more runs and left the bases loaded for Kacie Wentworth (Canton, N.Y.) who came in in relief. Wentworth walked her first batter, walking in a run, but got the next three out and the Pioneers out of the innings down 6-2.

The Pioneers were down, but definitely not out as the bats came alive in the bottom of the eight. With runners on the corners, once again, Dreher hit a high fly ball over the left centerfield fence to bring the Pioneers within one run, 6-5. The next two batters, Sibthorp and Nadler, worked walks putting the winning run on first base, and bringing Wentworth to the plate. Coming up big, Wentworth smacked a double to centerfield for the walk-off 7-6 win.

Sacred Heart opens Northeast Conference play this weekend, hosting Wagner in a Good Friday matinee and Monmouth on Saturday.